Flat panel video displays, such as plasma displays, liquid crystal displays, digital light processing displays, e-ink displays, and other existing and developing display technologies, are becoming increasingly popular because of their smaller profile when compared to traditional video displays using cathode ray tubes. As a result, flat panel displays are being used more frequently in a number of applications, including in the home, in corporate meeting rooms, in manufacturing facilities, in museums, in public spaces, and in a variety other uses. Because of the large number of flat panel display manufacturers, the range of panel sizes, and the significantly different applications in which flat panels are being used, a number of different mounting systems and mounting techniques have been developed to secure flat panel displays to walls or other support mediums. Mounting systems run the gamut from simple fixed brackets to motorized systems for raising and lowering flat panel displays from decorative cabinets.
Most traditional mounting devices for flat panel displays allow a user to tilt or otherwise adjust the relative position of the display for optimum viewing performance. One of the disadvantages of many of the existing mounting devices, however, is the amount of force required to adjust the position of the flat panel display. Particularly as flat panel displays become larger and heavier, the amount of force necessary to orient displays has become increasingly an issue with some mounting devices. Since many uses of a flat panel display require frequent adjustments to the position of the display, it would be beneficial to develop a mounting system that would minimize the force necessary to position the flat panel display and reduce the force required to hold the flat panel display in the desired position after adjustment.